Venezuela Head Coach Rafael Dudamel Offers Resignation After Political Visit
MADRID (AP) Venezuela coach Rafael Dudamel offered his resignation after the 3-1 friendly win against Argentina on Friday, saying the team was used politically during its trip to Spain.
He told a news conference he will still be at the helm when the team faces a Catalunya side in a friendly on Monday in the Spanish city of Girona, but says his future will be decided in talks with federation officials in the coming days.
Dudamel says he is not happy with the political use of a visit by a government official before Friday's match in Madrid. After the win over Argentina, Dudamel, said he had spoken with officials from the nation's soccer federation in order to put his role for review, after he met with with Antonio Ecarri, Juan Guaido's pick for ambassador to Spain. Guaido is the head of the National Assembly, fighting Nicolas Maduro's presidency.
The political turmoil in Venezuela increased when Maduro's re-election last year was deemed illegitimate by several governments.
Dudamel later accused Ecarri's visit as he only agreed to meet under the conditions that it would be private. But Guaido earlier posted on social media a meeting between Ecarri and the players.
“Today was denigrating, it’s unfortunate how they have acted,” Dudamel said.
